Shaxian Delicacies Journey (Part 8): Wenchang Street and the Old East Gate

Shaxian snacks have a long history, originating in the Tang and Song dynasties, flourishing in the Ming and Qing dynasties, and being passed down to the present day. There are currently 110 varieties of snacks preserved. The craft of making Shaxian snacks is a combination of the culinary techniques of the ancient Central Plains Han immigrants and the Baiyue people, adapting to the local seasonal changes, folk festivals, and activities. It involves various production techniques such as simmering, soaking, pounding, grinding, shuffling, kneading, and sun-drying, combined with cooking methods like steaming, boiling, roasting, frying, and stewing, forming a snack-making technology that incorporates both northern production skills and southern dietary culture. Wenchang Street is home to 13 intangible cultural heritage time-honored brands, nearly 20 inheritors of intangible cultural heritage, and more than 60 famous snacks passed down through generations. Consumers can experience the craft and taste of Shaxian's intangible cultural heritage snacks in one place. Wenchang Street is also known as 'Shaxian Traditional Skills Snack Street', adjacent to the Wenchang Pavilion, which features light shows and 3D water screen shows, and faces the Qifeng Diecui scenic area across the river. The East Gate hides the old stories of Shaxian near Shaxi Stream, located in the heart of the city. In the past, it was the gateway to Shaxian and still maintains the pattern of two roads and nine alleys. Deep in the alleys, the ordinary life breathes quietly, and the old streets, in the midst of a magnificent transformation, are returning to the lives of the people with a younger look. Shaxian District, Sanming